Data-processing system for determining gains and losses from bets

ABSTRACT

In an establishment in which wagers are placed on the outcome of a fortuitous event, such as the roll of a pair of dice, the spin of a roulette wheel, the result of a horse race, or the like, a player operates a remote selector panel on which a register displays a previously established credit balance. Bets on the event are made from the panel by wagering any amount up to the limit of the credit balance. The amount wagered is automatically deducted from the credit balance, and in the event of a win the amount wagered is multiplied by a predetermined odds factor for the event and added to the credit balance.

[451 May 14, 1974 DATA-PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING GAINS AND LOSSES FROM BETS Inventor: David Levy, 230 W. 54th St., New

York, N.Y. 10019 Filed: Apr. 2, 1970 Appl. No; 25,227

Related US. Application Data Continuationin-part of Ser. No. 699.509. Jan. 22, 1968, abandoned.

l l l Edwards et al 235/92 TP UX Affel, Jr. et al. 235/92 TP UX Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Karl F. Ross; Herbert Dubno [57] ABSTRACT In an establishment in which wagers are placed on the outcome of a fortuitous event, such as the roll of a pair of dice, the spin of a roulette wheel, the result of a horse race, or the like, a player operates a remote selector panel on which a register displays a previously established credit balance. Bets on the event are made from the panel by wagering any amount up to the limit of the credit balance. The amount wagered is automatically deducted from the credit balance, and in the event of a win the amount wagered is multiplied by a predetermined odds factor for the event and added to [56] References Cited the Credit balance UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,786,682 3/1957 McMunus 273/143 R 21 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures ocvasnF :2: LINE BEI5 is, FIELD BETS DOLUR5 DOLL/ 35 IN-i UNITS veils mm: m T no 7 arm "1 j a E n M um l in n! uni/c0"! a s e n 0 005- ooos= :1 PASS l-l PONY a so: ne 0005 to MAXI Eggs 1 104 o lls 6.1 1 4:? E TOTAL cREDIT :1

1.2 201 B/ E BALANCE DONT/ AIB I/I'IELD 2 31 B E T 5 5 10 1 2.2 3 215 1 12% Z= 3'? [93 POINT. ROLLED :1 Li ,1: a %@El@@@@@ 6 E mm PATENTEBIAY 3.810.627

sum 01 or 17 *[Ews Inventor: David Levy PAIENTEUIAYMIQM 3.810.627

saw 02 or 17 I David Levy INVENTOR.

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HORSE ELECTED INVENTOR. DA VID LE VY Zia, wa -um A T T ORA/E Y5 DATA-PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING GAINS AND LOSSES FROM BETS This is a continuation-in-part of my prior application Ser. No. 699,509, filed Jan. 22, 1968 and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a data-processing system for placing wagers from a remote location on the outcome of a fortuitous event, such as the rolling of dice, the spinning of a roulette wheel, or the outcome of a horse race, in which means are provided to automatically calculate the results of the wager based on the outcome of the event.

In conventional gambling casinos, the players usually crowd around the dealer, croupier or banker at a location such as a dice, roulette or card table which shall be referred to hereinafter as a banker's station. The number of participants in any such game of chance is thus limited by the physical dimensions of the table and the room in which it stands. Also, in a game in which the l m PM? s i ubisst 9 w de y litte in odds, the pfesence of a large number of participants complicates the proceedings and may give rise to errors in paying off the winners.

wagers on the outcome of horse races are placed at parimutuel windows at race tracks. Prior to each race the player stands on line at the appropriate sellers window at which tickets for specified denominations of money and selected positions are sold for each race. Thus to place a $10 bet on a horse to "win", the player must stand on the 3 l 0 win line, and to make a different bet as to amount and/or position the player must then go to the end ofa different line. If the player is successful in his wager he must eventually return to a different cashier's window to collect his winnings. Each cashier only pays off for a specified amount and finishing position so that a player successful on more than one bet on a given race must stand at a corresponding number of cashier's windows at the end of that race.

Tickets for wagers on a race are usually sold only after the previous race on the track program has been completed and prior to the running of the race on which the wagers are to be made. Except for some tracks in which wagers may be made in advance on the last two races of the day's program, betting tickets may not be purchased for any race on the program other than the immediately succeeding race with the exception of certain special races, such as Exacta or Quinella, in which the wagering is usually opened two races prior to the special race. As a result the player is required to stand on what is often a long line to place his bets on a race. and must repeat this process for each race on which he wishes to place his wager. If the player wishes to place wagers of different denominations on different horses in a single race, or make a win wager on one horse or a place and/or show wager on that horse or another horse running in that race. he must stand on a number of lines all before the race begins and the taking of wagers is terminated.

The need for repeatedly standing on long lines is an annoying and often frustrating experience for many players and needlessly diminishes some ofthe pleasures to be obtained at the track, and in fact may occasionally discourage some less dedicated players from placing a wager on a race. The sophisticated player usually prefers to wait until the last possible moment to place his wager, as this additional time gives him the opportunity of noticing any changes in the odds (which occur continually until the betting is closed) and allows the player to view the horses as they enter the track. Thus as the time for the closing of bets nears, the waiting lines at the betting windows often grow longer and many players are often unable to reach the window in time to place their wagers. Moreover, the sellers at the ticket windows often rush to complete the taking of wagers before the start of the next race. This need for haste may cause human error resulting in the possible loss of revenue to the track, or in the issuing of an incorrect ticket to the great annoyance and inconvenience to the player and an adverse effect on the management of the track. Moreover, a player, particularly one who has had a successful day at the track, often carries large sums of money to and from the track each day that he frequents the track. This presents the possibility of loss or theft of the player's funds and thus further reduces the pleasureful aspects of his attendance of the event.

It is, therefore, the general object of the present invention to provide an improved wagering system, as well as a method of operating same, in which the aforestated disadvantages of the known wagering operations are avoided by an automatic wagering-payoff and credit-balance registration.

It is another object of this invention to provide a wagering system and method allowing for the participation of any number of players at locations remote from the site of an event on whose outcome wagers are to be placed.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a wagering system of the type described in which the need for the player to carry large sums of money to and from the event is significantly reduced, thereby decreasing the chances of loss or theft of those funds.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wagering system allowing for increased facility and enjoyment for the player in making a wager, and a reduction in the possibility of error in calculating payoff on the wager.

These objects are realized, pursuant to my invention, by the provision of a selector panel or board individually assigned to each player or groups of players and enabling the player or players to place bets on the outcome of any fortuitous and recurrent event then in progress, such as the aforedcscrlbcd gambling operations. An open phase of operation is initially established during which bets may be placed, followed by a closed phase during which a bet just made or left standing is locked up while the event takes its course. The amount of the wager is initially subtracted from the player's previously established credit balance. After the event has taken place, the outcome in signaled to all the panels for automatic determination of the amounts won by the winning players which are then added to their respective credit balances.

In order to qualify for the placement of a bet. a player must first establish a credit balance on a display register disposed on or next to his selector panel, this'register being inaccessible to the player (except, possibly, for the purpose of increasing his balance) during the subsequent phases of operation in which the amount displayed is augmented as a result of a winning wager. To register the initial credit balance, the prospective player may make a payment to a banker or to a teller who thereafter presets the register, e.g., by the use of a tool or key or with the aid of a control panel at his station or by communicating the amount of the initial payment to a computer memory. In accordance with a more particular feature of my invention, however. I prefer to allow each player to register his own initial credit balance by purchasing from the banker a token representing a predetermined cash value, this token being then irretrievably inserted into a slot associated with the register. It should be understood in this connection that the term token" is to be broadly construed as including not only coin-like disks to be received by a collection box but also special keys, identi fication credit cards and similar implements which. once inserted and used to set the register. cannot be withdrawn for re-use except by an authorized person; in principle, real coins could also be used. The player. having bought one or more of these tokens. may invest them all at once or may save some of them for later insertion to restore a depleted balance. In any event. the arithmetic unit of each panel will not accept a bet exceeding the available credit balance and. advantageously. will turn on a light or other alarm signal whenever a player attempts to overdraw. If the players credit balance is sufficient the amount of the wager is reduced immediately upon the registering of the wager.

During the open phase. which may be indicated by a signal lamp on the panel switched on by the banker, the player may operate his selectors to choose both the amount of his stake and the outcome on which he places his wager; if desired. he may annul his selection by pressing a cancellation button. In the closed phase. also indicated by a banker-controlled signal such as a sign reading no more bets", the selector position is locked up and cancellation of the bet is inhibited so that the wager previously made cannot be altered until the win or loss has been determined. In certain instances. such as a line bet in a dice game. the outcome at a particular stage may be indecisive and may require the bet to be held over for one or more cycles of operation until a decision occurs; in this case, the selection remains frozen" even during subsequent open phases until the arithmetic unit registers either a win or a loss.

To register a win. an "add" channel is enabled by the arithmetic unit or computer which should also include a multiplier to take into account the odds governing the selected bet. Thus. ifthe panel offers a choice between a variety of bets at different odds. a signal may be sent to the multiplier stage of the computer to indicate the odds factor whenever a particular selector is actuated. This odds factor. of course. has no influence upon the "subtract channel and the overdraft indicator. The cummulative value of all the bets simultaneously placed may be shown on a separate register for visual comparison with the available credit balance.

In a resort hotel featuring a casino. the panels may be located in the several hotel rooms in combination with closed-circuit television to give each player a direct view of the roulette wheel. dice table or other gambling facility used in the establishment. Such a player. of course, will not directly participate in the game but will place his bets on the outcome of an operation performed by the croupier or by some other player at the bankers station.

According to another aspect of the invention a system is provided for placing wagers on the outcome of a horse race or the like from a betting panel conveniently located at the track. The system comprises a plurality of betting panels tied into the main track computer. The latter computer is of the type commonly provided at race tracks for the purpose of calculating the odds based on the amount of money wagered.

Each betting panel is used at the track by an individual player or players. The player opens an account by depositing an amount of money at a special tellers window provided at the track. The teller transmits this information to a control computer to identify the new player and the amount deposited That amount is stored and is reflected as the initial credit balance at the panel assigned to that player.

A player may place a bet on the outcome of a race by operating the appropriate members on the panel to transmit the wager data to the control computer. which in turn transmits them to the track computer. The placing of a bet of a selected amount reduces the players credit balance. When the results of the race have become official, the track computer transmits the pay-off data (i.e., the return on a unit wager multiplied by the odds factor) to credit the account of a successful player by an amount corresponding to the winnings, and transmits the pay-off information to the appropriate panel.

Many race tracks allow the placing of bets on certain combinations of races in which there is the possibility of winning larger amounts of money on a wager. These combinations include the Daily Double, Big Exacta, and Twin Double. The Exacta and Quinella are special races which may be provided by the track to provide the player with the opportunity for achieving a large payoff. The panel and control computer of the invention contain suitable operating members and logic circuitry to permit the making of such wagers from the panel. According to another aspect of the horse-race betting system of this invention, the bettor may at his choice select all permutations and/or combinations of a given number of horses in an Exacta or Ouinella wager by a so-called boxing" technique by actuating suitable members of the panel, the actual permutations or combinations being calculated and determined by suitable circuitry or a computer program.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. I is a diagrammatic view of a players selector panel as used in an automated dice game embodying features of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of an associated bankers station;

FIGS. 3A and 3B. when vertically juxtaposed. show elements of the panel of FIG. 1 together with associated logic circuitry;

FIG. 4 is a partly diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a roulette wheel and associated circuitry forming part of another system in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the layout ofa selector panel and associated circuitry cooperating with the arrangement of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an automatic horse-race wagering system according to a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of a betting panel for use in the system of FIG. 6; 

1. A data-processing system for determining gains and losses from bets placed on the outcome of a recurring fortuitous event, comprising: a banker''s station for the acceptance of wagers; a panel provided with numerical selector means operable by a player; register means at said panel manually operable to display an initial credit balance, but otherwise inaccessible to the player; arithmetic means forming a first and a second channel for the additive and the subtractive introduction, respectively, of a wagered amount into said register means in response to the operation of said selector means, the latter being inoperative for amounts exceeding said credit balance; computer means in said first channel for multiplying said wagered amount by a predetermined odds factor under the control of said selector means; banker-controlled first switch means at said station for establishing open and closed phases of operation; first circuit means controlled exclusively by said first switch means for locking said selector means in position during each closed phase pending determination of the outcome of said event; second switch means at said station for signaling the outcome of each event wagered on before the beginning of the next open phase; and second circuit means responsive to said second switch means for actuating said arithmetic means.
 2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said register means is provided with at least one slot for the insertion of a token to display an initial credit balance.
 3. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel is provided with overdraft-indicator means jointly controlled by said register and said selector means.
 4. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel is provided with cancellation means for annulling a selection, said first switch means controlling said cancellation means for disabling same during said closed phase.
 5. A system as defined in claim 4 wherein said arithmetic means includes logic circuitry presettable by said selector means for Enabling one of said channels in response to one type of signal from said second switch means, enabling the other of said channels in response to another type of signal from said second switch means and enabling neither channel in response to a third type of signal from said second switch means, said logic circuitry further controlling said cancellation means to maintain the disablement thereof until either of said channels is enabled.
 6. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said selector means includes a first selector for choosing one of several possible outcomes of said event and a second selector for determining the amount wagers on such outcome.
 7. A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising television means including a camera positioned to observe the event wagered on and a receiver adjacent said panel linked with said camera by a closed circuit.
 8. A data-processing system for determining gains and losses from bets placed on a fortuitous event, comprising: numerical selector means at a location remote from the site of said event operable by a player to indicate an amount wagered on the outcome thereof, said selector means being provided with cancellation means for annulling a selection; register means at said location inaccessible to the player following operation thereof to display an initial credit balance, said register means being responsive to said selector means for deducting the wagered amount from said balance; arithmetic means coupled to said register means and provided with input means inaccessible to the player for actuating said arithmetic means under the control of said selector means, upon an outcome of said event in conformity with the wager, for additively introducing into said register means said wagered amount multiplied by a predetermined odds factor to increase the existing credit balance; and signaling means inaccessible to the player for disabling said cancellation means for a limited period immediately prior to determination of the outcome of said event.
 9. A system as defined in claim 8, further comprising inhibiting means linking said register means with said selector means for preventing entry in the latter of a wagered amount exceeding the existing credit balance.
 10. A system as defined in claim 8, further comprising a control station at the site of said event provided with said input means.
 11. A system as defined in claim 10, further comprising indicator means at said remote location operable from said control station to signal the outcome of said event.
 12. A data-processing system for determining gains and losses from bets on a fortuitous event, comprising: first selector means at a location remote from the site of said event operable by a player to indicate an amount wagered on the outcome thereof; second selector means at said location operable by the player to choose one of several types of wagers; register means at said location inaccessible to the player following operation thereof to display an initial credit balance, said register means being responsive to said first selector means for deducting the wagered amount from sai balance; calculating means coupled to said second selector means for determining an odds factor from the chosen type of wager; arithmetic means coupled to said register means and to said calculating means, said arithmetic means being provided with input means inaccessible to the player for actuating said arithmetic means under the control of said first selector means, upon an outcome of said event in conformity with the wager, for additively introducing into said register means said wagered amount multiplied by said odds factor to increase the existing credit balance; a control station at the site of said event provided with said input means; cancellation means coupled to said first and second selector means for annulling a selection; and signaling means operable exclusively from said control station for disabling said cancellatiOn means for a limited period immediately preceding determination of the outcome of said event.
 13. A system as defined in claim 12, further comprising inhibiting means linking said register means with said first selector means for preventing entry in the latter of a wagered amount exceeding the existing credit balance.
 14. A data-processing system for determining gains and losses from bets placed on a fortuitous event, comprising: a plurality of playing stations remote from the site of said event; numerical selector means individual to a player at each of said playing stations, said selector means being operable by the respective player to indicate an amount wagered on the outcome thereof; register means at each of said playing stations individual to the respective player and inaccessible to such player following the operation thereof to display an initial credit balance, said register means being responsive to said selector means for deducting the wagered amount from said balance: a central control station common to all said playing stations; arithmetic means individual to each playing station coupled to said register means thereof; input means at said control station common to all said arithmetic means for actuating same under the control of the respective selector means, upon an outcome of said event in conformity with the wager, for additively introducing into said register means the wagered amount indicated by the associated selector means multiplied by a predetermined odds factor; individual cancellation means at each playing station normally operable by the respective player for annulling a selection; and signaling means common to all said selector means and operable exclusively from said control station for disabling said cancellation means at each playing station for a limited period immediately preceding determination of the outcome of said event.
 15. A data-processing system for determining gains and losses from bets placed on a fortuitous event, comprising: numerical selector means at a location remote from the site of said event operable by a player to indicate an amount wagered on the outcome thereof; register means at said location inaccessible to the player following operation thereof to display an initial credit balance, said register means being responsive to said selector means for deducting the wagered amount from said balance; arithmetic means coupled to said register means and provided with input means inaccessible to the player for actuating said arithmetic means under the control of said selector means, upon an outcome of said event in conformity with the wager, for additively introducing into said register means said wagered amount multiplied by a predetermined odds factor to increase the existing credit balance; and signaling means inaccessible to the player for making said selector means ineffectual for a limited period immediately preceding determination of the outcome of said event.
 16. A system as defined in claim 15, further comprising inhibiting means linking said register means with said selector means for preventing entry in the latter of a wagered amount exceeding the existing credit balance.
 17. A system as defined in claim 15, further comprising a control station at the site of said event provided with said input means.
 18. A system as defined in claim 17, further comprising indicator means at said remote location operable from said control station to signal the outcome of said event.
 19. A data-processing system for determining gains and losses from bets placed on a fortuitous event, comprising: first selector means at a location remote from the site of said event operable by a player to indicate an amount wagered on the outcome thereof; second selector means at said location operable by the player to choose one of several types of wager; register means at said location inaccessible to the player following operation thereof to display An initial credit balance, said register means being responsive to said first selector means for deducting the wagered amount from said balance; calculating means coupled to said second selector means for determining an odds factor from the chosen type of wager; arithmetic means coupled to said register means and to said calculating means, said arithmetic means being provided with input means inaccessible to the player for actuating said arithmetic means under control of said first selector means, upon an outcome of said event in conformity with the wager, for additively introducing into said register means said wagered amount multiplied by said odds factor to increase the existing credit balance; a control station at the site of said event provided with said input means; and signaling means operable exclusively from said control station for making said first and second selector means ineffectual for a limited period immediately preceding determination of the outcome of said event.
 20. A system as defined in claim 19, further comprising inhibiting means linking said register means with said first seletor means for preventing entry in he latter of a wagered amount exceeding the existing credit balance.
 21. A data processing system for determining gains and losses from bets placed on a fortuitous event, comprising: a plurality of playing stations remote from the site of said event; numerical selector means individual to a player at each of said playing stations, said selector means being operable by the respective player to indicate an amount wagered on the outcome thereof; register means at each of said playing stations individual to the respective player and inaccessible to such player following the operation thereof to display an initial credit balance, said register means being responsive to said selector means for deducting the wagered amount from said balance; a central control station common to all said playing stations; arithmetic means individual to each playing station coupled to said register means thereof; input means at said control station common to all said arithmetic means for actuating same under the control of the respective selector means, upon an outcome of said event in conformity with the wager, for additively introducing into said register means the wagered amount indicated by the associated selector means multiplied by a predetermined odds factor; individual cancellation means at each playing station normally operably by the respective player for annulling a selection; and signaling means common to all said selector means and operable exclusively from said control station for making said selector means ineffectual for a limited period immediately preceding determination of the outcome of said event. 